Moore nearing return
John Moore is looking forward to joining his brother Gary in Sydney after reaching a compulsory retirement age in Hong Kong.
Moore, 70, is a seven-time leading trainer and has applied for boxes at Rosehill and is likely to return to Australia at the end of the Hong Kong season.
Gary, John and George Moore (left to right)
However, Moore is unsure how long it will take for him to get back to Australia with the current COVID-19 protocols in place.
"I'm waiting to see what happens in the next three months with respect to getting myself and my wife into the country and then some of my team from up there as well," Moore told RSN927.
"It is a new chapter and it is going to be hard, but I have Gary already in place back there and I can slowly blend into the racing scene.”
RV wants quickest outcome
Racing Victoria wants the hearing into Ben Melham's alleged betting activity to be held as soon as possible.
The Victorian jockey Melham is facing seven charges relating to betting between March and September last year and for giving false or misleading evidence.
Ben Melham
One of the charges was issued under Australian Racing Rule 115(1)(e), which carries a minimum mandatory penalty of two years disqualification for a guilty verdict unless there is a determination of special circumstances.
"It is worth noting the tribunal has been continuing to hear matters either through video hearings or over the telephone during the recent times, so it's not as though we're at a standstill with the tribunal," RV Head Of Integrity Jamie Stier told RSN927. "We'll be asking that the matter be brought to hearing at the earliest possible stage they're able to do so."
Shedding kilos
Jockey Dean Holland is on target to make the 47kg that his mount Away Game (Snitzel) will carry in the G1 Robert Sangster S.
Dean Holland | Image by George Salpigtidis courtesy of AAP Photos
"I'm still trying to drop a bit of weight, I woke up 49kg this morning, so I'll make it comfortably," he said on Racing And Sport.
"I had a day and a-half to decide if I wanted to do it, so it was a rush but fortunately my family has come with me and I'm bunking in with John Allen and Ethan Brown.
"We've been very busy keeping fit and working hard so it's taken our mind off it."
Take two
Bandersnatch (Casino Prince) was scratched at the barrier before the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas, but is ready to go again at Randwick this weekend.
Backed into favouritism last Saturday, he was found to have a wound on a hind leg and withdrawn.
Gerald Ryan | Image by Simon Bullard courtesy of AAP Photos
"Where I was standing looking towards the mounting yard I couldn't see if he did it there," Ryan said. "It was really minor, like a paper cut, but there was an awful lot of blood.
"He can sometimes get worked up. He is a bit of an airhead. He worked on Sunday and Monday and galloped Tuesday morning so he is ready to go on Saturday."
Fingers crossed for start
Trainer Matthew Williams is hopeful of Harbour Views (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) beating the ballot for a start in the open handicap at Sandown on Saturday.
A winner of five of his six starts working through the grades, Harbour Views has not started since November and is yet to race in an open handicap.
Harbour Views (Fr)
Along with the Sandown race, Williams has pencilled in the G3 RA Lee S. in Adelaide and hopes to get Harbour Views out to 2000 metres, which he believes he will relish.
"We need to try to get his rating up another 10 points and give us a bit of confidence that he would get into a race like the G2 Feehan S.," Williams said.
McEvoy bullish
Co-trainer Tony McEvoy is confident his stable star Sunlight (Zoustar) can bag a fourth Group 1 title in Saturday’s Robert Sangster S. at Morphettville.
She was beaten by Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}) when resuming in the G3 R N Irwin S., but McEvoy said she would strip fitter for the outing.
Tony McEvoy
"The race looks to be put on for her. She's just got to be on her game," he said. "She's fantastic. I'm really pleased with her.
"It looks like she has taken the natural improvement that she does from that first to second run. She has lightened off a little bit more which she needed to and she has worked really sharply since the race. I'm very, very happy with her."
High hopes
Lance Noble believes Vernazza (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) could develop into a G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas filly, but said there was also the possibility of competing across the Tasman.
“With a filly like Vernazza, who has shown so much and is such a good type, all of those options are on the table,” he said.
Vernazza (NZ) (black and yellow checks)
“You go through your prep work and have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and see how she comes up, but Australia is definitely an option for her. The season was very positive and hopefully we can run on that into the new season.”
Vernazza has won two of her four starts, including the G1 Matamata Breeders’ S.
